shishnit.org

So what have I been sitting on in the way of “information” or “revelation” for the past nearly 2 months?

We started the month of February and I was contacted by someone interested in selling me a house. He was the same great guy who helped us into the current house we live in. He had a house that belongs to the son of the owner of the house we live in. We, of course, fell in love with the house. Ok, let me speak for myself because Rick has been detached from most of this all along. He was of the belief that his credit was whack and it would never happen. I liked the house but quickly realized it was a tad overpriced, especially in today’s market. I fell in love with the house.

We sort of spun our wheels a bit with a few different people helping us, on the issue of Rick’s credit being is less than pretty and therefore impeding a normal home purchase. We were in the middle of a lease to own contract on our current dwelling and the realization over the past year came upon us that the house was overpriced because it was last sold during the high end of the housing market here in Florida. It’s the most expensive house in a 5 block radius and one would never accumulate any Equity in such a purchase.

And then the house we looked at was just too expensive with an owner unwilling to do much to persuade us to buy “his” house and oh heck I never said I wanted it, someone contacted me trying to offload it.

I was sent to a broker to discuss the first house.

While sitting in a mortgage broker’s office discussing how best to fix Rick’s lagging credit issue, (largely thanks in large part to his lack of medical insurance for years and the resulting medical bills!) the realization dawned on him that I should “just buy a house all on your own”. Meaning, Rick is not excluded from helping to pay the mortgage, however on the actual mortgage application he entirely left off. I was a tad bit taken back because I alone by no means make a huge amount of money. But then slowly the true realization that I have “gotten my life so straight it’s insanely awesome” dawned on me too. I have a great credit score and I have little to no debt. I will write out my last car payment this month on an insanely high interest rate financed vehicle and will graduate college in less than a year. I have about $950 worth of credit card debt, accumulated to gain good credit to replace the shitty “my not so lovely ex-husband messed me all up” score of my past. That’s it. I am pretty darn debt free.

I had expected to sign another lease for another year and revisit the actual “buying” issue at that time. I figured it would be best for me to graduate from college, gain more income and then think seriously about the house purchasing options. But in the “talking” and “thinking” process….my mortgage broker dissed my real estate guy and gave me the name of a business associate who buys houses and flips them and rents them etc. who was looking to sell a few houses. Within a few hours I had an address on a scrappy piece of paper and I was off to look at one of the guys houses. I walked in and knew. I knew it was by no means a dream house, but it would work and work nicely. I also knew that it had a big back yard with a fence, two bedrooms, one bath (sadly) and was in a nice neighborhood that I used to work in, therefore I was familiar with it already. I hounded Rick to go and look at it and while he walked around finding small faults I pointed out that it was “I” in fact that was purchasing a house and it was then “my” decision by and large and I liked the house. While a tad smaller than my dream house, everything is newly remodeled and there’s an awesome screened patio, something that’s a joy in Florida.

Happily this seems meant to be. And while I hesitate to disclose any information even as of yet, because we have not closed on this property, I was approved and I am now on the tail end of this high flying kite and I can’t contain things anymore.

I have faxed no less than 51 pages of documentation to the lender. I have signed no less than 13 pages of a contract that was accepted. I was approved on Tuesday and am now awaiting an official closing date. All spending is at an all time standstill of course while we await the final details, etc.

However, I just spent the last 48 hours dancing about and singing within myself a joy so big I cannot even begin to explain or contain it anymore.

I went from little girl blue trying hard to breathe through the worst days of my life and in the past 5 years (since 2003) doing nothing but the “right” things. Paying bills so on time that my account histories look like textbook finance keeping. I have been late on NOTHING. I have managed to save money (and so has Rick). I have purchased a car and paid it off. I have been a full time student and I have accomplished so much. And now, (all by myself!!!) I have purchased a home for my husband and I to rejoice in. The nicest part….we’re making little to no concession even without Rick’s income being rolled in. And I’m buying a house that sold for $40,000 more that I’m paying less than 2 years ago. Equity here we come!!! And for the record, Rick’s name is not on the mortgage, will be on the deed. He will also continue to write out the check’s for the monthly fee for mortgage just as he has for the rent…which also looks financially textbook perfect on the checking account history of transactions, always early, never late.

It feels so good I can’t even find the right words. Nothing quite measures up. We are slated to close in April around the 13th or something, we don’t have specifics yet. I also did not pay a realtor any commission and the seller is paying all closing costs.

It does not get better unless you win a house.

Our mortgage is slated to be $66 bucks less per month that our current lease to own payment and that’s a payment that includes all taxes and homeowners insurance.